How to choose motherboards for RTX 4060 Ti GPUs?
The RTX 4060 Ti is the most capable mid-range GPU from Nvidia. It is designed to deliver the best 1080p gaming experience but can also provide a decent 1440p performance when you enable DLSS 3. While any motherboard with a PCIe x16 slot can accept the RTX 4060 Ti, not all of them are capable of running the GPU at its highest performance.
In fact, many users own this Nvidia graphics card, but they are not getting its full power due to the wrong choice of board. In this article, you will find everything about choosing the right motherboard for the RTX card to ensure you don't make the same mistake.
What makes a motherboard compatible with the RTX 4060 Ti GPU?
The RTX 4060 Ti holds a secret, which is precisely what prevents many motherboards from being fully compatible with it. Unlike most GPUs with traditional x16 lanes, this Nvidia graphics card only sports x8 lanes. Essentially, this RTX card has access to half the bandwidth.
Since the RTX 4060 Ti supports the PCIe Gen 4, the bandwidth limitation goes away. However, not all motherboards support PCIe Gen 4, and that's the crux of the matter. For example, if you have a computer with an Intel B460-based mainboard, it has PCIe Gen 3 only, which will limit the performance of the Nvidia card.
The same holds true for other motherboards from both Intel and AMD. Only a few specific boards have the PCIe Gen 4 support required for RTX 4060 Ti, and they are listed below.
List of motherboards that are appropriate for the RTX 4060 Ti GPU
There are multiple types of PCIe Gen 4 motherboards, and not all of them have the same feature set. Some boards are for Intel CPUs, while others are for AMD. They are divided into categories below.
Motherboards for Intel CPUs
Intel has four chipsets for its motherboard, which are based on the class of features they provide. The Zx90-series is the flagship class and has the most features. The Hx10-series is the cheapest class and has the least features. Choose one that suits your needs.
1) Zx90 series (Z590 and above)
The Zx90 series is the best chipset for Intel motherboards and boasts the most features. Intel ships this series of chipsets to its partners like MSI, ASUS, and Gigabyte, and they are responsible for manufacturing these boards.
Motherboards like the MSI Z690 GODLIKE or the ASRock Z790 STEEL LEGEND are popular examples of the Zx90 chipset. Any board with Z590, Z690, or a higher chipset will support PCIe Gen 4.
2) Hx70 series (H570 and above)
The Hx70 series is for the upper-midrange/premium class of boards and should have similar features as the Zx90 series of motherboards but without CPU overclocking support. However, most users don't prefer these boards, so the demand is low.
The low demand forces the manufacturers to ignore these boards and/or provide cheaper components, which makes it impossible for buyers to opt for them. Users should ignore them.
3) Bx60 series (B560 and above)
The Bx60 series chipsets are designed for mid-range motherboards and support PCIe Gen 4 connectivity. Any board with a B560 chipset and above will be fully compatible with RTX 4060 Ti.
4) Hx10 series (H510 and above)
This is Intel's entry-level chipset, and motherboards with H510 chipset and above will support PCIe Gen 4. Don't buy the H410 boards since they are limited to PCIe Gen 3.
Motherboards for AMD CPUs
AMD has three chipsets for its motherboards. The Xx70-series chipsets are the highest-end, while the Ax20-series ones are the cheapest. They are similar to Intel's boards. Choose one that best suits your needs.
1) Xx70 series (X570 and above)
The Xx70 series is AMD's flagship chipset and motherboards based on this chipset boast a ton of features. MSI, ASUS, ASRock, and others partner with AMD to manufacture these boards.
The ASRock X670 Phantom Gaming and ASUS ROG X670E Strix are two popular examples. Note that any X570 and X670 boards will have support for PCIe Gen 4.
2) Bx50 series (B550 and above)
The Bx50 series chipsets are designed for mid-range motherboards and are equivalent to Intel's Hx70 and Bx60 boards. Only B550 and above chipsets support PCIe Gen 4, so avoid B450 motherboards if you are planning to buy the RTX 4060 Ti GPU.
3) Ax20 series (A620 and above)
The Ax20 series brings AMD's entry-level chipsets meant for budget PCs. Both A420 and A520 chipsets are limited to PCIe Gen 3, so it's best to ignore them. Only the latest A620 chipset has support for PCIe Gen 4. Thus, you will be able to use the RTX 4060 Ti if you buy A620 motherboards.